The Sleeping Bear Blend

Tea type
Green Tea
Ingredients
Green Tea Leaves, Wildcrafted White Pine Needles
Flavors
Jasmine, Sugarcane, Vegetal, Pine, Vanilla, Berries, Flowers, Grass, Floral, Nuts, Sweet, Butter, Smooth, Cream
Sold in
Loose Leaf
Caffeine
Low
Certification
Not available
Edit tea info Last updated by Tea Pet
Average preparation
180 °F / 82 °C 2 min, 0 sec 11 oz / 326 ml

From Our Community

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66 Want it Want it

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20 Own it Own it

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66 Tasting Notes View all

  • “I haven’t had this one in a while so I made a pot of it. It was very refreshing since I’ve had a lot of flavored teas recently. The subtle flavor of pine is just lovely with the buttery green tea.” Read full tasting note
    99
  • “Pretty sure my feed isn’t working here, but oh well. This was a sad sipdown, but I appreciated the chance to try it (Thanks KallieBoo!). This is just a really clean, buttery, sweet green tea. It...” Read full tasting note
    84
  • “I’ve had this tea a few times without logging, my bad! Tonight i will though, and I’ll try to get a second steep in before bed too :) So the dry leaves are a lovely mix of thin, poky pine needles...” Read full tasting note
    87
  • “My parents were supposed to have been on the road with the Uhaul a few days ago, but it is taking them longer than expected to get all packed up. Most of their house is empty now and the TV is all...” Read full tasting note
    95

From Whispering Pines Tea Company

The Inspiration
The current batch of pine needles was harvested on December 27, 2013 in Bellbrook, Ohio.

Imagine a place with rolling pine forests fringed with open meadows and brambles of blackberry bushes just begging you to feed your senses. Imagine a place bursting with wildlife — a new ecological wonder behind every blossoming cherry tree. Imagine being knee-deep in crystal-clear water with pine needles floating by and spring in the air. Imagine love. Imagine my home: The Sleeping Bear Dunes.

Every sip of this tea brings with it a burning passion. Fresh, wild, green pine needles are sustainably wildcrafted from the deepest reaches of the wilderness and processed as a light oolong of around 20-30% oxidation. After cutting, withering, and drying, the needles are mixed with our purely blissful green tea blend, River Rain.

The final product is a lovely blend of green tea with the perfect amount of fresh pine flavor and a hint of jasmine. This tea is based off of the memory of a spring morning walk along Glen Arbor’s Crystal River with the birds singing and otters splashing along that pure, beautiful water. I have created my masterpiece. I have put my heart and soul, The Sleeping Bear Dunes, in a cup.

Breathe life, sip inspiration, and let my beautiful homeland warm your soul.

Please note: There will only be 8-10 ounces of The Sleeping Bear Blend produced each month. Due to this, we would like to limit this blend to 2 ounces per customer per order. If you’d like more, please contact us directly.

Notes
Pine Forest
Sugarcane
Chestnut
Jasmine
Spring rains
Soft Breeze

How to brew the perfect cup:
Steep 1/2 tablespoon of leaves
in 8 ounces of 180ºF water
for 1 minute and 30 seconds.

2nd infusion: 2 minutes
3rd infusion: 3 minutes
4th infusion: 5 minutes

Ingredients
Green Tea
Sustainably wildcrafted white pine needles

Caffeine Content
Low

About Whispering Pines Tea Company View company

Whispering Pines Tea Company is dedicated to bringing you the most original, pure, beautiful tea blends. We use only the highest quality ingredients available to create additive-free teas teas inspired by the pristine wilderness of Northern Michigan. Our main focus is on customer satisfaction and quality.

66 Tasting Notes

95
278 tasting notes

I’m feeling so restless today. I want to do something, but I don’t know what I want to do, so I do nothing, then get annoyed with myself and even more restless. Rinse. Repeat.

I was going to try the Elderwood this evening, but I grabbed this instead because I thought it might have a calming effect.

Method: 1.5 tsp, 8 oz, 180 degrees, 1.5 min, muggy strainer

Dry Leaf Aroma: wow, gorgeous. Pine/evergreen and a very strong floral, like jasmine

Brewing Aroma: heavier on the floral

Flavor: the floral is first, with some gentle piney notes. Then there’s this fascinating and totally unexpected nutty note. It’s strong, too. It’s also got a creamy feel and a buttery taste. It’s also a little sweet and has a nice lingering aftertaste.

Is it bad that I have a reminder on my calendar to get this in August before the batch is gone?

Edit: Ehrmagerd!!!! 2nd steep. 3.5 min. Sipping this. Yum. Ok yum. What’s that? Holy crap! It’s pine nuts! This tea tastes like little pignolis on the end of the sip. SB- I love you!!!

Preparation
185 °F / 85 °C 1 min, 30 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
MzPriss

I have a Friday miracle Sars! A wee teaspoonful magikally appeared in my little sample bag. I’m having some TOO!!!!

MzPriss

Dear Universe, Thank you v. much for making a weeny bit of SB appear in my house. I really, really, REALLY needed it and I can’t get any for a couple of weeks til it comes back. grateful…Love, MzHBP

SarsyPie

LOL aaaaaw HoneyBelle!!!! I’m so glad you found some! Now we can drink it together!!!!

I’m really looking forward to August!!!!

MzPriss

Me too!!!!~ I’m sipping this very, very slowly. I’m gonna try an additional couple of steeps – cause the Tea Hobbit says you can, although I don’t usually re-steep. This is just so dreamy.

SarsyPie

I just did a 2nd steep, too. I let it go to 3.5 min and used a little less water. Want. More. NOW.

MzPriss

You and I will chill out together Sars. Just smell this tea. Calming. I need chilling out majorly and it sounds like you do too.

SarsyPie

Yeah, it wasn’t even a bad day. I’m just feeling all jumpy but I want to be calm. Was your day stressful? I hope the tea is helping

I have to edit my review because I figured out what the nutty flavor is! So exciting! Pine nuts!!!!!

MzPriss

Most of my work days are stressful. It’s just been a mofo of a week. And the tea is totally helping! I love this tea too much

MzPriss

I need to eat some dinner and I’m thinking of having something really odd for dinner. Kimchi Tacos.

SarsyPie

Oh wow. That sounds interesting. I like kimcheeeeeee!!!!

MzPriss

I love it. I’m making some with Terri’s recipe. But this one I bought. I was gonna have bean and cheese tacos on corn tortillas and came home and realized I had no beans. Then I noticed the kimchi in the fridge and I’m like “hmmmmm” We shall see. I’m gonna make a couple and re-steep this tea and be back to have SB with you and LTF

Terri HarpLady

hmmmm….now that sounds interesting…

Cameron B.

No fair, I want to join in on the fun! :P

MzPriss

OK report….(first of all Cameron – come have some SB or something with us) So I warmed a couple of these really delicious corn tortilla this lady makes here in town that they sell at my co-op. and then just barely warmed some kimchee – enough ti take the chill off and keep it from coolng down the tortilla but not enough to kill the good bugs. Annnnnd – it’s not bad y’all! Pretty good actually.

MzPriss

But in Austin we tun everything into a taco :D

MzPriss

and oh Sars – I DO like the second steep of SB. I like the first better – but this is still really really good!

SarsyPie

If I had more, I’d send ya some, Cam. But I only had a little sample. I’m impressed tho. I highly recommend this one.

SarsyPie

I’m on the 3rd, MzP. Still good!!! Glad the experimental tacos are yum!!!!!

MzPriss

I’m gonna go for a third when this cup is done. I like the tacos and I didn’t want anything heavy. I had some lentil curry in the fridge too (which will also LOL become tacos!) and this was just the perfect thing

MzPriss

The curry would have been too much. This is nice and light and has two of my fave things: corn tortillas and kimchi

SarsyPie

I clearly need to follow in your footsteps and become more creative with my taco fillings!!!!

MzPriss

Dude – you can turn ANYTHING into a taco. We have tacos for breakfast here. A potato, egg and cheese taco with screamingly hot salsa and a Dark Beauty cocktail are the best. hangover cures. ever.

SarsyPie

I’m already planning some faux chicken with bean and rice tacos for this weekend!

MzPriss

I literally put anything in tacos. Salad. Sometimes peanut butter and creamed honey

SarsyPie

I dub thee Lady HoneyBelle, Queen of the Taco Fillings, Ruler of the Corn Tortillas.

MzPriss

Laughs! Tacos make life easy and tasty.

SarsyPie

I agree, LHBQotTFRotCT. :p

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91
294 tasting notes

I must admit, the real reason I added this to my order is because bears are my favorite land animals. Not only are they strong, powerful, and fierce, but they’re also protecting and loving and so darn cute! Watching a little Florida black bear cub run by, it’s little booty bouncin’ in the air, is just about the only good thing about my mom living down a dirt road.

I came home with a severe migraine, probably one of the worst I ever had. Deafing ringing in my ears, lights blinding, explosive pounding at the base of my skull, the whole shebang. My boy friend wanted to take me to the hospital and I told him it wasn’t necessary and popped 5 ibuprofen, wrapped a flimsy pillow around my head from the nose up, and feel into a coma like sleep.

4 hours later, I’m feeling better, minus I slight earache, and I really want to dig in on my first Whispering Pines order, and this sounded like it was too fitting. I don’t think I ever had pins in a tea before, buts it’s very pretty and I must say it definitely works.

This is very smooth and sort of buttery. I also get jasmine, with a almost sharpness from the pine. I also agree with the notes spring rain and soft breeze, there’s something just so pure and refreshing about this tea.

Preparation
180 °F / 82 °C 1 min, 30 sec 1 tsp 8 OZ / 236 ML
TheTeaFairy

Glad you’re feeling better now…this tea really helps calming me when I feel nervous or agitated.

christeana1

Glad you are feeling better! I am partial to bears as well…in particular bruins;)

albertocanfly

Thank goodness that you are feeling much better! :] And I definitely laughed at the baby bear booty bounce:P (wow, what a lot of b’s:P)

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86
157 tasting notes

I measured out a sample of this for my tea-drinking friend a few months ago. I’ve since run out of this blend, but while I was at her house today she offered me some.

She didn’t spoon out the leaves, she just dumped them into a cup and poured medium-warm water over them. (My internal dialogue: Did I measure several servings or just one? I wonder if she’s—oh, okay…I guess it’ll be a little strong.) Neither of us set a timer. I think it steeped for about five, six minutes, but the water temp was low enough to prevent it from getting bitter.

So. I liked this a lot more than I remembered liking it. I think I brewed through my entire ounce using Brenden’s parameters instead of tinkering. So my memories of this tea use descriptors like “bland, weak, too floral, unbalanced”. Kind of harsh, but I wasn’t impressed. It wasn’t my thing.

The long steep made the green tea base REALLY REALLY buttery, velvety and delicious. There was only a hint of jasmine in the background. It added more to the texture of the tea than the taste, in my opinion. Smoothed it over…made it a little creamier and sweeter. Just a little floral. The pine was barely present. In fact, I don’t remember if I could taste it or not. I wish I had taken notes while sipping. Oops! Anyway, the thick buttery sweet taste/texture is what got me. It was warm and comforting, like a soft blanket on a chilly night. It’s the kind of tea I’d love to have right before bed. Winding down, at the end of the day…

Not very outdoorsy, that cup. Not at all. That’s fine…it was an experiment of taste! Now I wish I had more of this to play around with. Next time!! shakes fist at sky

Flavors: Butter, Cream, Floral, Smooth

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90
155 tasting notes

Texas has been in a drought for quite a while now. It has been dry and sad. A few years ago, Texas caught on fire. I wish really hard for rain all the time.

This afternoon on my way home from work, I stopped at my local herb shop for some additional dried elderberries because of Northern Sweet Tea (ask Brenden). The shop is in a small stone house in a neighborhood and is a magical little place. In addition to herbs, they have tea and teaware. I got my elderberries and a darling little tea mug with infuser in a delicious green.

Just as I walked out of the shop it began to rain slowly at first but with great fat drops that increased in speed and decreased in size. I stood on the sidewalk and let the rain pour down on me for about 10 minutes. I’ve missed it so much.

As soon as I got home, I washed my new mug and brewed 2 teaspoons of this dainty looking little tea in 12 ounces of 180 degree water for 1.5 minutes. Now, I’m not a huge fan of green tea. It has to be right. I was not surprised to find that this tea is very, very right.

TeaFairy called it a lullaby and I agree. It would send you off to sweet dream land. But I can also imagine this iced on a brutally hot August day in Texas when it’s 109 and I’m in need of sweet cool salvation. The combination of sweet clean green tea with wildcrafted pine needles and a delicate jasmine is perfectly balanced. None of the ingredients overpower the others. Too often jasmine tea takes up your whole mouth-space with JASMINE – not this, it’s sweet and tastes like pure floral rain after a long dry spell. ADORE!

Brenden sent this tea as a sample a while back. I’ve been ignoring it in favor of all the other delicious tea I have. The other night I read a note on it by TheTeaFairy. It reminded me I needed to try it. Another new WPTC addiction.

And here’s the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N1DdwrsdTo (heh :)

Flavors: Jasmine, Pine

Preparation
180 °F / 82 °C 1 min, 30 sec 2 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML
TheTeaFairy

Love that you just stood in the rain…I do that to. I’m really glad you got some.

And this tea is fantastic…

MzPriss

I love the rain – and we got big thunder too – it was AWESOME!

boychik

I’m in PA and we had huge thunderstorm for more than 2 hrs. I’m sure it’s flooded in some areas. At some moments it felt like it was right above my house. And electricity went off several times.

boychik

Every time I want to order this blend its out of stock. I want to place a big order by Fall cause some blends just meant for it.

MzPriss

I love those kinds of storms boychik – the big bangs right on top of you :) I’ve missed those. I will be ordering some of this as well.

Whispering Pines Tea Company

@boychik, there’s 4 ounces in right now from the July pine harvest :)

boychik

Very tempting…

mj

@MzPriss, I miss those southern thunderstorms! They are few and far between here north of the wall (GoT reference). Also, this tea is perfectly balanced? Totally shocked (need sarcasm font!)

Whispering Pines Tea Company

I try to reduce the balance on some teas just for the fun of it ;)

MzPriss

@Brenden – I woke up and had Northern Sweet Tea first thing. It’s a glass-licker.

TheTeaFairy

Lol, totally glass-licker. Can’t wait for my elderberries :-)

MzPriss

I can’t wait until your WP box gets there either!

Whispering Pines Tea Company

:) Don’t you love it?!

MzPriss

Yes I do! And I was going to link to your recipe on my blog – but, ahem, it isn’t up on your site yet.

TheTeaFairy

Me too, can’t wait!!!! Have you tried the you know what???

MzPriss

No. I’m totally waiting for you.

TheTeaFairy

Haha! You are so cute :-)

MzPriss

What I AM going to do today though is make 2 quarts of the Northern Sweet Tea. It was amazing o wake up to. I want some all weekend.

Whispering Pines Tea Company

I’m out of maple syrup :’(

MzPriss

:O oh no!

TheTeaFairy

Fedexing you a few litres now. No one should ever be without maple syrup, ever!!! :-(

SarsyPie

You guys crack me up. :)

MzPriss

Speaking of crack – this Ailaoshan Black is pretty crack-y

SarsyPie

I want to try it!

TheTeaFairy

Sarsonator, join the party :-)

Yep, Ailaoshan made a junkie out of me….

MzPriss

@Sarsonator – check your PM missy

SarsyPie

PM checked!

And now I’m looking around my house to figure out what I can sell in order to feed my tea habit…

mrmopar

i sold the kids and then the grand-kids for tea money and now….anybody need a cat?

MzPriss

that was dual-purpose mrmopar – now you have room for more cakes

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100
557 tasting notes

The Sleeping Bear while at the dialysis clinic again, its lonely here today, just myself and the sleeping bear and the color purple on tv, I think i’ll turn off the tv and read a book :)
I really enjoy this sleeping bear, the jasmine sweet pine goodness is great this morning.

Cheri

Books are generally better than daytime TV anyway. What are you reading?

Tommy Toadman

I’m reading “If I Pay The Not In Gold” by Piers Anthony and Mercedes Lackey, I started it a while back finishing it today tho, I hope :)

Tommy Toadman

If I pay THEE* Not In Gold :)

Cheri

It’s been a while since I read that. Maybe it’s worth a re-read.

Tommy Toadman

i’m liking it so far :)

christeana1

I Cant picture pine in tea…but sounds interesting! I love the name though:)

Kirkoneill1988

isn’t that a bed time tea?

Tommy Toadman

No, it is green tea and pine, Maybe because it is called Sleeping Bear that you may think its a bedtime tea, it is really good in the morning to me:)

Kirkoneill1988

i see :p lol

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93
390 tasting notes

one of the greatest things about swaps is that things arrive on your doorstep that you may never have chosen. thanks so much to kaylee for this!!! i really never would have chosen it and it’s outstanding….

the risk with pine is it can punch you in the nose while it’s going down. is there even a hint of that in this blend? nope!

this really is a masterpiece, brendan. very, very fine. the lightest hints of pine that behave as mint with an essence of eucalyptus, but mostly a very sweet green. no vegetal tone. no seaweed. not nuts…. a pure, light chlorophyll element, as though the components were freshly gathered.

sprightly, subtle, anything but boring…. i foresee an order in future…. thank you so much kaylee!

Preparation
2 tsp 10 OZ / 295 ML
TheTeaFairy

I also fell in love with this blend, so delicate, so perfect!

Whispering Pines Tea Company

Always a favorite of mine. :) I love how different processing brings out different flavors in the pine. I processed this last batch similar to a jade oolong, which brought out really beautiful notes, buttery, lightly minty, VERY sweet. Glad you enjoyed it!

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100
359 tasting notes

Not feeling so good tonight, I’ve had a really hard time sleeping this week end, worse than usual…running on just a few hours of sleep, I thought of drinking this tea. Cause it’s my lullaby tea, puts me in a gentle state of relaxation :-)

There’s something enchanting about this blend… From what I understand, Brenden the owner of Whispering Pines, goes in the forest every month to harvest a new batch of pine needles, just the right amount to keep it sustainable. The fact that he harvests his own product makes it that much more special. And every time I buy this tea, I can be sure it’s at its freshest.

When I opened my pouch of this month’s blend and inhaled its beautiful fragrance, I noticed something different. It seemed more piney and a little more earthy, also less jasmine scented than usual.

I asked about it and was told that the pine needles were now lightly roasted. I’m thinking this process might concentrate the flavours and make the needles a bit more fragrant. A new jasmine green is also in the mix. I like that I can smell more pine, but that the scent remains so soft.

The taste is as delicate and fluffy as I want it to be. The difference from before is very hard to describe though. It’s like rain in the forest. Have you ever opened your mouth while it’s pouring in the woods, and try to catch the droplets? You know it doesn’t taste like regular water, but how do you describe it?

This tea has an undulating texture, it just coats the entire mouth with something floral, buttery sweet and evergreen. It’s not exactly jasmine, it’s not exactly pine, it’s just the perfect fusion of the two…symbiosis, I’m drinking “jaspine”.

It’s sweeter than the previous blend. I don’t think I’ve ever tasted something so fresh and clean. It truly is wonderful.

Being already in love with it, I was skeptical about the change, cause I thought it was just perfect the way it was. Well I must say, it is better.

And yes, another WP blend I don’t see myself living without.

Terri HarpLady

I hope you get some rest & wake up refreshed, my dear TF.
This is another one I’ll have to sample sometime.
Sweet dreams!

boychik

I agree 100%. This blend is perfect for me. I wasn’t sure if I should order it since I don’t really like jasmine. But it so subtle and it’s still there. And this combo with pine makes it kinda cooling sensation. I’m wishing you good night sleep. :-)

TheTeaFairy

Aww, you gals are sweet….I’m chilling now, I should be ok <3

TheTeaFairy

Terri, I can send you some whenever you want :-)

Boychik, the fact that you don’t like jasmine but appreciate this blend says it all!

inranger

I just need time to sort through all of my untasted WP, Mandala, and Verdant teas to try my SB. Sounds like I need to make time for this one. But…..so many choices, so many teas! :)

TheTeaFairy

Haha! I hear you inranger!

Ysaurella

ah you make me want to taste some Whispering Pines teas…I love the name of their teas and your reviews really exhort me to try them !

Roughage

This sounds bear-rilliant. That’s another one to add to the wish list then.

TheTeaFairy

Ysaurella, WP teas are full of magic :-)

Dr. Roughage, with bear-serker and now bear-rilliant, i officially declare you my favourite bear pun maker… Keep them coming please, bear puns make me beary happy :-)

mrs.stenhouse12

Gahh I now want to order this iteration of sleeping bear! I’ve tried 2 in the past and loved them both, and if this one is even better…. :D I see yet another tea order in my near future lol

TheTeaFairy

Truly addictive MissLena, but there can never be too many WP orders :-)

Roughage

Don’t worry, Tea Fairy, I have bearly begun. ;)

Whispering Pines Tea Company

The amount of awesomeness happening here right now is almost unbearable ;)

Roughage

Sounds like I am not the only one with bear puns bruin! ;)

TheTeaFairy

Awww, These bear puns make bears sound like the sweet things they are and much less barbearian.

Whispering Pines Tea Company

Haha that one’s good…You got me laughing on the floor doing bear-a-rolls!

Whispering Pines Tea Company

We should stop before I go into kodiak arrest!

TheTeaFairy

Ok, that one is hilarious….but no worries, if you keep eating elder-bear-ries, no risk for Kodiac arrest…

Whispering Pines Tea Company

Whew…bearly made it out of that alive!

TheTeaFairy

Oh lord! Gotta love those bears.. Did you see the strawberry???

Terri HarpLady

You guys are unbearably cute, I can barely bear to be-hear, big bear hug to all!

Roughage

Those are awesome bear puns, Whispering Pines. I shall make sure to use them all as soon as I possibly can. My friends will hate you for this! ;)

TheTeaFairy

This all started with Goldilocks Dr. Roughage, remember?

Roughage

I do indeed remembear, Tea Fairy. I still need to write the best-selling children’s book ‘Goldilocks and the Three Bearserkers’. Maybe I should make it a horror story instead …

Mandy

Meme bear puns = all kinds of awesome! Super cute and funny and fuzzy. I can bearly stand it

TheTeaFairy

Haha! Glad you enjoyed mandy :-)

Mandy

I ended up just googling bears and annoying my boyfriend with my constant “OMG baby look he’s soo cute I could just die! Wait no, look at this one! Babe, get me one! Babe, I want. Babe, babe, babe”. I’m pretty sure he hates me now, lol

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98
217 tasting notes

Seriously amazing! This is beautiful green tea with the most gorgeous pine flavor, it seriously tastes like a winter hike in an alpine forest. I may have to hoard this stash as whispering pines tea company is currently out of stock and I don’t know if I could handle being out! In fact, Im busy steeping a second infusion as we speak :)

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87
1501 tasting notes

Best tea of the morning, by far. I oversteeped it though when the mailman showed up, so I expected it to be horribly bitter. Surprisingly, it’s only a touch bitter, and I’m getting primarily jasmine with a sweeter nut. Zero pine, which surprised me. Even with the oversteep though, this is an excellent tea.

Preparation
175 °F / 79 °C 8 min or more 3 tsp 12 OZ / 354 ML
Whispering Pines Tea Company

Zero pine? Hmmm…perhaps the green tea took over because of the long steep time?

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83
149 tasting notes

Sipdown!
I love how the subtle pine blends in beautifully with the buttery green tea base and scent of jasmine. I think I’ve mentioned before that I generally dislike jasmine because I often find it overwhelming for me, but I’m really glad I gave this a try because everything is wonderfully blended.

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